1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a UV-radiation treatment apparatus for household use used to treat athlete""s foot.
2. Background Art
Athlete""s foot, which frequently occurs in such places as toes and the inner sole, is an affliction caused by the parasitic presence on the skin of a fungus of the genus trichophyton. It is known that trichophyton fungus can be killed through UV irradiation, and a variety of UV ray treatment apparatuses have heretofore been developed.
FIG. 4 shows a simplified vie of one example of such a conventional UV ray treatment apparatus that can be used at home, configured so that a treatment apparatus body (a) is formed in a columnar shape having a size allowing for manual holding and use; a UV lamp (d) is attached to a tip thereof, and an ON switch (b) and an OFF switch (c) are provided on an outer surface of such treatment apparatus body (a); through operation of such switches the UV lamp is turned on and off. In addition, a cylindrical lamp cover (f) that covers the UV lamp (d) is attached to a tip of the treatment apparatus main body (a). A UV radiation port (e) is provided on an end surface of such lamp cover (d), enabling UV radiation outward. When the UV radiation port is directed at the toes or other afflicted area and the UV lamp (d) is turned on, the afflicted area is irradiated with UV rays.
However, when the above conventional household UV treatment apparatus is used, a user is forced to maintain an uncomfortable posture, with the device held in the hand, for the entire time that the afflicted area is being irradiated with UV rays; when the treatment is lengthy, the task will be quite laborious. What is more, the afflicted parts of both feet cannot be treated at the same time by a single UV treatment apparatus; in fact, differing afflicted parts of the same foot, such as the toes and inner sole, cannot be treated simultaneously. Thus there is the problem that therapy requiring much time is needed to treat all afflicted areas.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a UV treatment apparatus that enables simultaneous UV irradiation of both feet and enables simultaneous UV irradiation of differing afflicted parts of the same foot, as in the toes and inner sole.
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is constituted so that a treatment apparatus body is formed from an upper case on which both right and left feet are placed, a bottom case supporting such upper case, and a cover that covers the front upper surface of the upper case; front position UV radiation ports are provided toward the front of the treatment apparatus upper case so as to enable UV radiation in the up-down direction, and central UV radiation ports are provided at a central position toward the rear of the upper case so as to enable UV radiation in the right-left direction. In addition, UV lamps are disposed between the upper case and bottom case at positions corresponding to the front position UV radiation ports and central UV radiation ports; when the UV lamps are turned on, UV radiation is directed through the UV radiation ports and upwards from the upper case. The upper case, having a size allowing for areas for both feet to be placed thereupon, is supported by the bottom case, and the front part of the upper surface thereof is covered by a cover; the front-position UV radiation ports open in the up-down direction in a front portion of the areas of the upper case on which both feet are placed.
When a foot is inserted toe-first into the space between the cover and upper case and placed on the upper case, and the UV lamps are turned on, the front part of the foot is irradiated by UV rays coming from the front position UV radiation ports, and, simultaneously, the inner sole is irradiated by UV rays coming from the central UV radiation ports. Thus the front of the foot and the sole can be treated.
Further, sensors that turn on the UV lamps for a set period of time are provided, respectively, in the areas for placing the right foot and the left foot; insertion of foot between upper case and cover is detected by the respective sensor, which causes only the UV lamp positioned at the relevant front position UV radiation port to turn on; with such a constitution, only the lamp for an area into which a foot has been inserted and placed is turned on.
Further, a fan that is driven when a sensor turns on a UV lamp is provided between the upper case and bottom case, and external air that the fan draws into the space between the upper case and bottom case is emitted from the UV radiation ports; with such a configuration, wind caused by the fan is blown out from the UV radiation ports, provides a drying effect to the afflicted areas.